Weaver Lecture & Reception, Matthew Betts
April 9 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Matthew Betts, the Ruth Spaniol Chair of Natural Resources Conservation in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society at Oregon State University
The Auburn University Weaver Lecture Series will present a talk by Matthew Betts, the Ruth Spaniol Chair of Natural Resources Conservation in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society at Oregon State University, on Thursday, April 9, at 2 p.m. at the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE).
Summarizing 18 years of research, Betts’ lecture titled “Can we have our cake and eat it too? Conserving forest biodiversity in an age of humans.” will examine how forest management affects biodiversity across local, landscape and global scales. Further, Betts will address the broader question of how to satisfy global wood demand at the least cost to biodiversity and the climate.
The Weaver Lecture Series was established in 1996 through an endowment provided by Earl H. and Sandra H. Weaver. The series brings individuals with expertise in forestry, wildlife, and the environment to the Auburn University campus to enhance the college’s academic programs through public lectures and interaction with faculty and students.
The lecture is open to the public and will take place on Thursday, April 9, at 2 p.m. at the Forestry, Wildlife and Environment Building at Auburn University. A reception will be held immediately following the lecture at 3 p.m. Pre-registration is not required for attendance.
Title: Can we have our cake and eat it too? Conserving forest biodiversity in an age of humans.
Abstract: Betts will summarize 18 years of research focused on how managing forests affects biodiversity across local, landscape and global scales. He will address the broader question of how to satisfy global wood demand with the least cost to biodiversity and the climate. Specifically, he will describe (1) his lab’s 15-year experiment focused on intensive forest management, timber production and biodiversity, (2) their long-term study on the role of forest structure (particularly old growth) in dampening the effects of climate change on bird populations, and (3) the influence of forest loss and fragmentation on tropical biodiversity. This will be a participatory talk that requires some audience involvement.
Speaker Biography: Matthew Betts is a professor of wildlife and forest ecology in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society in the College of Forestry at Oregon State University, where he has taught both undergraduates and graduates about forest biodiversity and management for 15 years. He has a Bachelor of Science and a doctorate from the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management at the University of New Brunswick in Canada, and a postdoc (Biological Sciences) from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. His research focuses on plant and animal responses to forest management activities at local, regional and global scales. He is the lead investigator for the Oregon Intensive Forest Management Project, lead scientist for the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program and the director of the Oregon State University Forest Biodiversity Research Network. He is the author of over 150 peer-reviewed publications (including in the journals Science and Nature), and his work has been profiled in the New York Times, Washington Post, National Public Radio, CBC, National Geographic and Scientific American. His work is primarily funded by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture and the National Science Foundation.
